Pipe tong



. Feb. 9, 1943. c. A. LUNDEEN ,PIPE ONG Filed Oct. 5, 0

CZ/fSTER 4. (j/V 5 INVENTOR:

A TTO EY PIPE TONG Filed Oct. \5, 1940, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -52 9/5752 4. ZU/VOtZ/V 7 36a 33 INVENTOR:

I g fzvaw ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE PIPE TONG Chester A. Lundeen, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Byron Jackson 00., Huntington Park, Calif,- a corporation of Delaware Application Qotober 5, 1940, Serial No. 359,927

3 Claims. I 01. 81-66) This invention relates to pipe tongs, and particularly to tongs which are especially adapted for use in making up and breaking out the joints between sections of drill pipe or well casing.

Tongs of the foregoing type are necessarily of heavy construction in order to withstand the high stresses to which they are subjected, and for this reason it is particularly desirable to simplify their manipulation as much as possible when applying them to the pipe. Preferably, the tong should be self-closing around the pipe, so that a single operator may quickly and easily apply it to the pipe with a minimum of effort and of expenditure of time.

A principal object of this invention is to pro- I vide a pipe tong which is capable of adjustment to a wide range of sizes, and which can be automatically latched about any size of pipe within the size range of the tong, by a simple manipulation on the part of a single operator.

The manner in which the above and other objects are accomplished will be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. I is a plan view showing my improved tong in closed position about a small sized pipe;

Fig. II is a similar plan view showing the same tong applied to a larger sized pipe;

Fig. III is a view showing the tong of Figs. I and II with one jaw segment replaced by a similar but longer jaw segment, and applied to the same sized pipe as in Fig. 11; and

Fig. IV is a similar view showing the tong of Fig. III closed about a still larger sized pipe.

Referring to Figs. I and II, I have shown my invention as applied to a four-jaw tong comprising two opposed series of pivotally interconnected jaws III, II, and I2, I3. Each series of jaws constitutes an independent pipe-encircling member and is pivotally connected at one end thereof to a lever Hi. Thus the jaws III and II are pivotally connected to the lever by a pivot pin I5, and are pivotally interconnected by a pivot pin I6, while the jaws I2 and I3 are pivotally interconnected by a pivot pin I1 and are pivotally connected to the lever by a pivot pin I8. The pivot pins I5 and I8 are mounted in the lever I4 on pivotal axes which are spaced apart longitudinally of the lever to provide a double fulcrum whereby the jaws are caused to constrict about a pipe when the lever is swung in a clockwise direction, and to back off and loosen their grip on the pipe when the lever is swung in the opposite direction.

As is well known to those familiar with this art, tongs of this character are usually suspended in the Well derrick from a counterweighted line by a suitable hanger attached to the lever I4, the point of suspension being directly above the center of gravity of the suspended mass to cause the tong to hang in a horizontal position. Inasmuch as the suspension means constitutes no part of this invention, it has not been shown in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood that any suitable means may beernployed for this purpose.

The two. series of jaws are adapted to be releasably latched together at the ends thereof opposite their pivotal connection with the lever I4, and for this purpose a latch 29 is pivotally mounted on the free end of the jaw I l by a pivot pin 2i, and is provided with a latching surface 22 adapted to selectively engage any one of a plurality of opposed latching surfaces 23, 24, and 25 formed on the jaw I3. The latch is yieldingly urged inwardly by a spring 26, and its free end is rounded off at 21 to cause it to ride outwardly on a rounded end surface 28 on the jaw I3 as the tong is closed about a pipe.

In order to simplify the operation of closing the tong around a pipe, it is very desirable that the outward pivotal movement of the jaws be limited to only the amount necessary to permit the lateral insertion of the pipe between the two series of jaws, and to provide sufficient clearance between the jaws and the enclosed pipe to enable the latch 20 to automatically engage the proper latch lug on the jaw I3. This may be accomplished by providing suitable stops between the jaws of each series and between the lever and the jaws I0 and I2, respectively. Thus a stop shoulder 3| is formed on the jaw I2 and is engageable with the end of the lever I4 to limit the outward pivotal movement of the jaw relative to the lever. A stop shoulder 32 is also formed on the jaw I2 adjacent the hinge pin I1 and is engageable by a stop lug 33 formed on the jaw I3 to limit the outward pivotal movement of the jaw I3 with respect to the jaw I2.

Outward pivotal movement of the jaw III with respect to the lever I4 is limited by a stop lug 35 on the jaw engageable with the side of the lever. This abutment also serves the additional purpose of enabling the operator to close the jaws II] and I I on the pipe and to cause the latch to automatically close by thrusting on the lever in a counterclockwise direction when applying the tong to the pipe. In order to perform this operation with a minimum of effort, however,

the outer jaw II should only be permitted to open outwardly with respect to the jaw II] by an amount sufficient to provide a slight clearance with the pipe. The reason for this will be apparent from the following description of the customary mode of applying this type of tong to a pipe by a single operator:

When not in use, the tong is suspended at one side of the derrick with the latch open and the jaws spread apart. When it is desired to place the tong on the pipe, the operator, standing adjacent the jaw I2, grasps the handle 36 on the jaw I3 with his left hand, and with his right hand grasps the outer end of the lever I I or the suspension means attached thereto. The tong is then pulled bodily toward the pipe until the jaws I2 and I3 contact the pipe. At this stage, the jaws I and II stand away from the pipe, with the stop-lug 35 on the jaw I0 contacting the side of the lever. The operator then holds the jaws I2 and I3 stationary on the pipe by thrusting to the left on the handle 35, and at the same time thrusts against the lever to cause it to swing counterclockwise about the pivot pin I8. By reason of the outward spacing of the pivot pin I5 with respect to the pin I8, the jaws It and I I are moved bodily around the pipe in a counterclockwise direction, and, because of the thrust exerted on the stop lug 35 by the lever, the jaw III is also swung inwardly into contact with the pipe.

It will be apparent that if suitable stop means are provided between the jaws I0 and II to limit the outward pivotal movement of the jaw I I relative to the jaw I8 to a small amount, that the above-mentioned movement of the jaw I0 into contact with the pipe will positively move the jaw II inwardly therewith into a position in close proximity to the pipe. The curved end face 27 of the latch 29 will have contacted the curved face 23 on the jaw I3 to cam the latch outwardly about its pivot 2| against the action of the spring 26, and the resistance to the small amount of additional closing movement of the jaw II which would be necessary to close the latch, would be so slight that it would be overcome by the momentum imparted to the jaw II by the jaw I On the other hand, if the jaw I I were permitted to swing outwardly relative to the jaw it through a wide range, it would be spaced from the pipe by a considerable distance when the jaw I53 contacts the pipe, and it would be necessary to rely solely on the initial momentum imparted to the jaw II by the jaw II! to cause the former to swing inwardly and cam the latch over the first latch lug on the jaw I3. Instead of merely exerting a steady pressure on the lever It, it would require a sudden powerful thrust by the operator to develop suilicient momentum for this purpose.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that excessive pivotal movement of the jaw I I with respect to the jaw I!) is highly undesirable, and that for maximum ease of applying the tong to a pipe this pivotal movement should be maintained at a minimum. In a tong of this type which is adapted to handle only a single size of pipe, the solution of this problem is very simple and requires merely that stop shoulders similar to the shoulders 32 and 33 between the jaws I2 and I3 be provided on the jaws Ill and II, with only slight clearance between the shoulders when the jaws are closed about the pipe. However, if the tong is adjustable so as to accommodate a wide range of sizes, the problem is less simple,

for the reason that sufilcient clearance must be provided between the stop shoulders on jaws I0 and II to enable the jaws to open out to accommodate the largest sized pipe. The clearance between the stop shoulders when the tong is applied to the smallest sized pipe then becomes excessive, making it exceedingly difiicult to apply the tong to a small sized pipe.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. III and IV, it will be observed that the tong shown in these figures is identical with that shown in Figs. I and II except for the substitution of a longer latch lug jaw I3 for the jaw I3 of Figs. I and II. With the exception of the increase in length, the jaw I3 is in all essential respects identical with the jaw I3, and includes stepped latching surfaces 23 24 and 25 adapted to be selectively engaged by the latching surface 22 on the latch 20. It will be observed that in Fig. III, with the latch engaging the third step 25 of the latch lug jaw I3, the tong is applied to a pipe 40 of the same size as in Fig. II, wherein the latch engages the first step 23 of the smaller latch lug jaw I3. The range of pipe sizes which can be accommodated by the tong extends in opposite directions from this median size. Thus, in Fig. I there is shown a smaller pipe 40 which is gripped when the latch engages the third latch step 25 of the small latch lug jaw I3, and, at the opposite end of the size range, a large pipe 40 is shown in Fig. IV. In order to accommodate this large pipe, the latch engages the first latch step of the long latch lug jaw Hi From a comparison of Figs. I and IV, it will be apparent that in order to accommodate this Wide range of sizes, considerable angular adjustment between the jaws Ill and II must be provided, and that a corresponding clearance must be provided between any fixed stop shoulders on these jaws. I have provided a stop shoulder 15 formed on a lug IS projecting outwardly from the hinge lug of the jaw II, and an opposed stop shoulder 47 on the outer wall of the central web portion 48 of the jaw I 9. The relation between these shoulders 45 and II is such that when the jaws are expanded to accommodate the lar est size pipe 39 as shown in Fig. IV, a very slight working clearance is provided between the stop shoulders. In the position shown in Fig. III, wherein the jaws are in theirmedian position, the clearance between the stop shoulders 45 and III is approximately one-half the maximum clearance, and, for practical purposes, is not excessive. When the tong is to be applied to a small sized pipe such as the pipe 39 of Fig. I, however, the clearance between shoulders 45 and 41 becomes so great that an excessive amount of force must be exerted by the operator on the lever and the jaw Ill, in order to develop suihcient momentum in the jaw II to cause it to continue and complete its closing movement after the jaw I 0 has contacted the pipe.

I have overcome this difiiculty by providing an adjustable abutment member '58 having an abutment surface 5! which is selectively movable into or out of the path of movement of the stop shoulder 45 on the jaw II. To this end, the abutment member is pivotally mounted on the jaw III, as on a pivot pin 52 for pivotal movement between the operative position shown in Figs. I and II and the inactive position shown in Figs. III and IV. A socket 53 (Fig. III) is formed in the outer portion of the member 50 for the reception of a tool, indicated in dotted lines at 54 in Fig. IV, for shifting the member from one position to the other. In order to yieldably retain the member 59 in either position, it is provided with a pair of angularly related flattened surfaces on the side thereof opposite the abutment surface 5!. A springpressed plunger 55 is mounted in the web portion 48 of the jaw l and is adapted to engage either flattened surface and thereby yieldingly retain the member 59 in either position of adjustment.

When he o is to be used on pipe ranging in size from the smaller size it of Fig. I up to and including the median size 40 of Fig. II, the abutment member i! is shifted into the active position shown in those figures, and in that position the opening movement of the jaw H with respect to the jaw it is limited by contact of the stop shoulder 35 with the abutment surface 5|. When larger sized pipe, ranging in size from the pipe ie to the pipe MP of Fig. IV, is to be handled, the abutment member is moved into the inactive position shown in Figs. III and IV, and the jaw H is permitted to swing outwardly until the stop shoulders 55 and t! contact each other. Inasmuch as for these larger pipe sizes the closing movement of the jaw i I does not exceed that shown in Fig. III, the range of pivotal movement between the jaws is relatively small.

For convenience, the pipe size range covered by each of the two positions of the abutment member 55! corresponds to the pipe size range of the respective interchangeable jaws l3 and Is With this arrangement the abutment member need be shifted only when the jaws are interchanged. It will be appreciated, however, that, if desired, the abutment member may be provided with a plurality of abutment surfaces which may be selectively positioned in the path of the stop shoulder 55, and which are disposed at progressively greater distances from the stop shoulder 41 on the jaw It). In this manner, a smaller range of pivotal movement of the jaw Il may be maintained for intermediate pipe sizes between the pipe 49 and the pipes 40 and 40 respectively. However, this would require more frequent adjustment of the member 50.

It will also be understood that although I have shown the adjustable abutment member in conjunction with a tong having interchangeable jaws to provide a wide range of adjustment, the member 50 may also be used to good advantage on a tong having no interchangeable jaws, such as the tong shown in Figs. I and II. In that case, however, the maximum clearance between the fixed stop shoulders 45 and 41 would be only that necessary to permit the jaws I0 and II to open sufificiently to fit the maximum size pipe, in that case the pipe MI, and the abutment surface 5! on the member 50 would be disposed substantially midway between the extreme positions of the shoulder d5.

I have shown what I now consider a preferred, practical embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple-size pipe tong comprising a lever, a pair of independent pipe-encirling members pivotally connected to the lever at spaced points thereon whereby swinging movement of the lever in one direction or the other loosens or constricts the members about a pipe, latch means mounted on the outer end of one member and adapted to engage the outer end of the other member to detachably connect the outer ends of said members together about a pipe, spring means urging said latch means in latching direction, one of said members comprising a first jaw segment pivotally connected at one end to said lever and a second jaw segment pivotally connected to the opposite end of said first jaw segment, stop means between said first jaw segment and said lever operable upon swinging movement of said lever in jaw-loosening direction to cause said first jaw segment to move into engagement with the pipe, abutment surfaces on said first and second jaw segments cooperating to limit the opening movement between said segments to an amount sufficient to accommodate the maximum sized pipe, said abutment surfaces also cooperating to move said second jaw segment toward the pipe upon swinging movement of said lever in jaw-loosening direction, the relationship between said abutment surfaces being such as to cause said second jaw segment to move said latch means into latching engagement with the outer end of the other pipeencircling member to automatically latch said members about a maximum sized pipe but being normally ineffectual to cause the second jaw segment to move the latch means into latching engagement with the outer end of the other pipeencircling member when the tong is applied to a minimum sized pipe, and an adjustable abutment on one of said jaw segments adapted when adjusted to operative position to cooperate with the other jaw segment to limit the opening movement between said jaw segments to an amount sufficient to accommodate a pipe of a size intermediate said maximum and minimum sizes, said adjustable abutment being adapted to cause said second jaw segment to move said latch means into latching engagement with the outer end of the other pipe-encircling member to automatically latch said members about a minimum sized pipe upon swinging movement of said lever in jaw-loosening direction.

2. A multiple-size pipe tong as set forth in claim 1, in which said adjustable abutment is formed on an abutment member adjustably mounted on one of said jaw segments and movable at will into operative or inoperative position.

3. A multiple-size pipe tong as set forth in claim 1, in which said adjustable abutment is formed on an abutment member adjustably mounted on one of said jaw segments and movable at will into operative or inoperative position, and spring means yieldably retaining said abutment member in either position.

CHESTER A. LUNDEEN. 

